Air conditioning system

ABSTRACT

A free-of-draught air conditioning system comprising a plurality of cooling units each having its own air conditioning means. Each cooling unit and associated air conditioning means is housed in a housing having diffusely permeable sidewalls and a diffusely permeable bottom wall. The sidewalls and the bottom wall are preferably made of perforated, plastic-coated sheet metal panels.

Un ted States Patent 1191 1111 3,827,257 Doomernik Aug. 6, 1974 AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM 2,239,508 4/1941 Sipp 62/418 2,241,579 5/1941 B t 62/419 [75] Invent! Coma Dmmemlk, Berghem, 2,251,649 8/1941 62/419 Netherlands 2,454,654 11/1948 Kaufman 62/418 l\ssigneez w 1 verhulst en Zone q Richman Netherlands 3,196,632 7/1965 Buffington 62/419 [22] Filed: May 1973 Primary Examiner-William J. Wye 21 1 35 ,273 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R0ylance, Abrams, Berdo & Kaul [30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 4, 1972 Netherlands 726018 [57] ABSTRACT A free-of-draught air conditioning system comprising [52] U.S. Cl 62/418, 62/419, 62/404, a plurality of cooling units each having its own air 93/40 conditioning means. Each cooling unit and associated [5i] Int. Cl. F25d 17/04 air conditioning means is housed in a housing having Field of Search 62/413, diffusely permeable sidewalls and a diffusely permea- 98/40 14 ble bottom wall. The sidewalls and the bottom wall are preferably made of perforated, plastic-coated sheet [56] References Cited tal panels,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,2l2,748 8/1940 Parker 62/426 1 Clam" 2 Drawmg F'gures PATENTED AUG 6 I974 SHEET 2 BF 2 i 1 T T AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM This invention relates to an air conditioning system.

In particular in work spaces in which a relatively low temperature is required, such as slaughter houses, it is possible to use one high-capacity cooling installation, which distributes cooled air into the work space via a limited number of outlets which may be connected to the installation through channels. It is also known for such spaces to be provided with a number of separate cooling units attached to a wall or ceiling, which generally deliver cold air at one side and sometimes at two. The disadvantage of such air conditioning installations is that the cold air issuing from the separate outlets generates an annoying draught effect owing to the limited area of outflow.

It is also known to have a cooling installation discharge above a false ceiling with outlet openings distributed over the entire ceiling. Such a ceiling is made, for example, from elements such as perforated P.V.C.- laminated metal panels, whereby a diffuse flow of air is achieved. The disadvantage of this latter arrangement is that, in particular owing to the cost of the special panels and the many pipelines and other obstacles in an existing work space, it is very expensive to install a cooling-air diffusing ceiling therein.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioning system which overcomes the above disadvantages.

According to the invention, there is provided an air conditioning system comprising a plurality of cooling units each having its own air conditioning means, each of said cooling units and associated air conditioning means being housed in a housing having diffusely permeable sidewalls and a diffusely permeable bottom wall.

The effect of this arrangement is an omnilateral flow of air. Delivery to the top or to the side at which an air conditioning unit is attached to the ceiling will not generally be necessary, while one side will be required for drawing in air to be treated. In such an arrangement a highly favourable air-flow distribution pattern is obtained, the area of outflow being many times greater than that of prior air conditioning systems, as a result of which the draught effect is avoided.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention each cooling unit is housed in a housing having side and bottom walls made of plastic-coated sheet metal panels.

One embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 shows a cooling unit in cross-section;

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement of four cooling units mounted against the ceiling of a work space.

Referring to FIG. 1, each ceiling-borne cooling unit directly lets out cooled air and comprises, among other components, an intake funnel 2, a cooling element 3, and a blower 5 driven by a motor 4.

Cooler 3 is housed in a housing 6 having a top wall 7 for fastening the structure to a ceiling (14, FIG. 2), three sidewalls 8 for letting out cold air, one sidewall 9 for the intake of air and a bottom wall 10. Sidewalls 8 and bottom wall 10 are made of panels 11 of perforated, plastic-coated metal sheeting.

In operation, air 12 is taken in through sidewall 9, intake funnel 2 and cooler 3 by means of blower 5 into housing 6. The cooled air is then diffusely distributed through bottom wall 10 in the vertical direction, indicated by arrows 12, and through sidewalls 8 in the horizontal direction indicated by arrow 13.

FIG. 2 shows in what way cooling units 1 can be distributed over the ceiling 14 of a workshop.

We claim:

1. An air conditioning system comprising a plurality of cooling units each having its own air conditioning means, each of said cooling units and associated air conditioning means being housing in a housing having diffusely permeable sidewalls and a diffusely permeable bottom wall, and

wherein the sidewalls and bottom walls of the cooling units are made of perforated, plastic-coated sheet metal panels. 

1. An air conditioning system comprising a plurality of cooling units each having its own air conditioning means, each of said cooling units and associated air conditioning means being housing in a housing having diffusely permeable sidewalls and a diffusely permeable bottom wall, and wherein the sidewalls and bottom walls of the cooling units are made of perforated, plastic-coated sheet metal panels. 